Storytelling with data

Mark Hanly

HDAT9800 Guest Lecture

July 2024

Introduction. Storytelling is the oldest data storage format

8-inch, 5¼-inch, and 3½-inch floppy disks. Invented in 1971 by IBM. From Wikipedia

Ogham Stone. 400AD-1000AD mallonireland.com

Quipu in the Museo Machu Picchu, Casa Concha, Cusco. Andead South America 2600 BC – c.1600 AD Wikipedia

Map of Australia showing the 21 coastal locations from which Aboriginal stories about coastal inundation are described. From Nunn and Reid (2016)

This study suggests that Aboriginal stories of coastal drowning in Australia, from locations thousands of kilometres apart, date from 7,250–13,070 years ago (5,300–11,120 BC). If this is the case, then not only does it corroborate the fact—hitherto inferred but never shown to have been observed—of postglacial sea-level rise but it also demonstrates an extraordinary longevity for these stories

Nunn and Reid (2016)

How storytelling can improve data visualisation

How storytelling can improve data visualisation

  1. Aesthetics
  2. Narrative
  3. Emotion

Aesthetics

Aesthetics in storytelling

Romeo and Juliet (1996)

Gnomeo and Juliet (2011)

West Side Story (1961)

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

Aesthetic-Usability Effect

people perceive more aesthetic designs as much more intuitive than those considered to be less aesthetically pleasing.

Aesthetics in data visualisation

  1. Color
  2. Font
  3. Text Hierarchy

aes()

Aesthetics in data visualisation

  1. Color
  2. Font
  3. Text hierarchy

Nikkei Stock Average (Nikkei 225). See indexes.nikkei.co.jp

Nikkei Stock Average (Nikkei 225). See indexes.nikkei.co.jp

Aesthetics in data visualisation

  1. Color
  2. Font
  3. Text hierarchy

Font

Words have meaning. Type has spirit. The combination is spectacular.

—Paula Scher

Living among snakes in Queensland, Australia by Diana MacDonald. See didoesdigital.com/snakes

Aesthetics in data visualisation

  1. Color
  2. Font
  3. Text hierarchy 

ggplot(
  data=ToothGrowth, 
  aes(x=dose, y=len, fill=supp)) + 
  geom_col(position = 'dodge')

Level Up Your Plots by Cara Thompson see cararthompson.com/talks

Narrative

Narrative in storytelling

Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories. From YouTube

Narrative in data visualisation

  1. Titles and annotations
  2. Narrative structure
  3. Interactivity

Narrative in data visualisation

  1. Titles and annotations
  2. Narrative structure
  3. Interactivity

How can the next government improve hospital waits in England? by The Health Foundation. See health.ork.uk

How can the next government improve hospital waits in England? by The Health Foundation. See health.ork.uk

plot(astsa::birth)

Visualising the Baby Boom by Kieran Healy

University of Monash Climate Communicators program. See monash.edu/mcccrh/projects/climate-communicators

Narrative in data visualisation

  1. Titles and annotations
  2. Narrative structure
  3. Interactivity

Narrative structure

We are the storytelling ape, and we are incredibly good at it. As soon as we are old enough to want to understand what is happening around us, we begin to live in a world of stories. We think in narrative

—Terry Pratchett

Narrative structure

The simplest story structure:

  1. Setup
  2. Conflict
  3. Resolution

Sickly sweet: It’s time for a sugary drinks tax The Grattan Institute

Sickly sweet: It’s time for a sugary drinks tax The Grattan Institute

Sickly sweet: It’s time for a sugary drinks tax The Grattan Institute

Sickly sweet: It’s time for a sugary drinks tax The Grattan Institute

Narrative structure

  1. Diabetes has nearly tripled since 2000
  1. One can of soft drink can have nearly a day’s worth of sugar
  1. A tiered tax encourages manufacturers to reduce the sugar in their drinks
  2. Under our proposed tax, people would switch from high-sugar drinks to low- or no-sugar drinks

Narrative in data visualisation

  1. Titles and annotations
  2. Narrative structure
  3. Interactivity

What if? by Owen Cho. See healthpolicy.github.io/nhs_whatif

The Great War Centenary. See poppyfield.org

Emotion

Emotion in data visualisation

They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.

—Carl W. Buehner

Emotion in data visualisation

  1. Empathy
  2. Fear
  3. Delight

Emotion in data visualisation

  1. Empathy
  2. Fear
  3. Delight

US gun killings in 2018. See guns.periscopic.com

Emotion in data visualisation

  1. Empathy
  2. Fear
  3. Delight

little picture: sea level trend. See climate.esa.int/en/littlepicturescompetition

little picture: sea level trend. See climate.esa.int/en/littlepicturescompetition

little picture: burned area in europe. See climate.esa.int/en/littlepicturescompetition

little picture: burned area in europe. See climate.esa.int/en/littlepicturescompetition

Emotion in data visualisation

  1. Empathy
  2. Fear
  3. Delight

Not a Single Origin by Small Multiples. See notasingleorigin.com

Not a Single Origin by Small Multiples. See notasingleorigin.com

Not a Single Origin by Small Multiples. See notasingleorigin.com

  • Westmead Indian Cardamom | Coconut | Cashew
  • Concord Italian Strawberry | Balsamic | Caramel | Orelys
  • Earlwood Greek Ouzo | Lemon | Anise
  • Greenacre Lebanese Date | Rosewater | Pistachio
  • Hurstville Chinese Red Bean | Coconut | Mandarin
  • Londonderry Maltese Orange | Cinnamon | Almond
  • Manly Scottish Scotch Whiskey | Toffee
  • Mosman English Marmalade | Almond
  • Randwick Irish Baileys | Coffee | Honeycomb
  • Rooty Hill Filipino Taro | Coconut | Sesame
  • Banksia Macedonian Honey | Peach | Rhubarb
  • Cabramatta Vietnamese Caramel | Banana | Coffee | Peanut

Not a Single Origin by Small Multiples. See notasingleorigin.com

Storytelling with data—Review

Aesthetics

  • Color
  • Font
  • Text hierarchy

Narrative

  • Titles and annotations
  • Narrative Structure
  • Interactivity

Emotion

  • Empathy
  • Fear
  • Delight

Thank you for listening

Exercise: Hospital Ramping

Read about it in The Conversation

References

Nunn, Patrick D, and Nicholas J Reid. 2016. “Aboriginal Memories of Inundation of the Australian Coast Dating from More Than 7000 Years Ago.” Australian Geographer 47 (1): 11–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2015.1077539.

HDAT9800 Visualisation and Communication of Health Data